Trump tax returns released to public after multiyear battle by Democrats
Zachary Halaschak
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Former President Donald Trump’s tax returns have been released in full after a multiyear quest by Democrats.
The returns, which cover six years of Trump’s life, were entered into the congressional record on Friday morning. Bank account information, Social Security numbers, and other information were redacted from the returns before their public release. The release includes not only Trump’s tax returns but also returns from eight business entities affiliated with the former president.
TRUMP’S TAX RETURNS TO BE PLACED INTO CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
Democrats have been using the legal system to try to obtain the returns for more than three years. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) had requested the documents under a law that provides the group with the authority to obtain taxpayer records.
Republicans have cast the move as setting a dangerous precedent going forward and accused Democrats of only releasing the returns to inflict political damage against the former president.
Trump broke tradition by refusing to make his tax returns public as a presidential candidate in 2016, though he was not required by law to do so. He also didn’t release his returns as president, and as a result, Democrats have sought to get their hands on Trump’s returns for years.
Trump tried to block the request from the House Ways and Means Committee, but lower courts affirmed that the committee has broad authority to request such documents. Last month, the Supreme Court denied Trump’s request for a temporary order that would have prevented the committee from obtaining his tax records.
“This is a regrettable stain on the Ways and Means Committee and Congress, and will make American politics even more divisive and disheartening. In the long run, Democrats will come to regret it,” said ranking member Kevin Brady (R-TX) after the documents were released on Friday.
Meanwhile, Democrats have focused on the finding that while the IRS is required to conduct annual audits of sitting presidents’ tax returns, the agency failed to do so during Trump’s first two years in office.
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“Our findings turned out to be simple — IRS did not begin their mandatory audit of the former president until I made my initial request,” said Neal on Friday.
Trump himself has also bashed the decision to release the tax returns. In a statement, the former president blasted the move and said Democrats have “weaponized everything, but remember that is a dangerous two-way street.”